By Jason Hidalgo, Reno Gazette Journal
Consumers will see another significant increase in health insurance costs as the window-shopping period for Nevada Health Link kicked off Monday.
Nevadans looking at Affordable Care Act health plans for the 2027 plan year can expect to see an average rate increase of 17% from the nine insurance carriers on the state exchange, according to the Nevada Division of Insurance.
Plans outside the exchange are expected to go up on average by 10.9%. There will be three exclusively off-exchange carriers offering 46 plans in the state for the coming plan year.
“I remain very sensitive to the fact that once again rates are increasing,” said Nevada Insurance Commissioner Ned Gaines, in a statement.
“During this time of increased inflation, every dollar counts. I urge all Nevadans who purchase their health insurance on the Exchange to fully analyze each product offering to find the best option for you and to take advantage of all subsidies available.”
Potential enrollees can now check out Nevada Health Link’s pre-screener tool to compare prices across multiple insurance providers prior to the enrollment period. The actual enrollment period starts on Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2027.
Janel Davis, Nevada Health Link executive officer, noted that “coverage and costs change every year” and encouraged those enrolling in ACA plans to check rates ahead of time.
“Taking the time to compare plans now can make the enrollment process easier when it’s time to select coverage,” Davis said.
Battle Born State Plans return this year on state exchange
The available options include the Battle Born State Plans, which were introduced last year. The Battle Born plans include 10 essential health benefits such as hospitalization, doctor visits, emergency care, prescription drugs and lab work.
The state also credits The Battle Born plans for helping drive down the increase in premiums seen each year. The state plans, combined with Nevada’s Market Stabilization Program, have slowed the rate of increase in premium costs by 7% statewide and 11% in Clark County, according to Nevada Health Link.
Although this year’s increase has not been as high as last year’s 26% jump in premiums, Gaines acknowledged that it’s still a challenge for many households, particularly at a time of high inflation and rising costs.
“The cost of coverage can be high,” Gaines said. “But the cost of not having coverage is potentially higher should you encounter an unexpected illness or injury.”
Here is a list of insurance carriers available at the Nevada exchange in 2027
Here are all the insurance providers taking part in the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange for the 2027 plan year.
All in all, the state exchange will have nine insurance companies offering 165 plans for 2027, with three of those companies also offering a Battle Born State Plan. One notable addition this year is Kaiser Permanente, which is offering plans for the first time in Nevada after inking a joint partnership with Renown Health to acquire joint ownership of the Hometown Health insurance plan.
Health insurance carriers include:
- Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- CareSource
- Community Care Health Plan of Nevada (Anthem BBSP)
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN)
- Imperial Health Plan
- Kaiser Permanente (previously Hometown Health)
- Molina Healthcare
- Select Health
- SilverSummit Health Plan (Ambetter)
Battle Born State Plans will be offered through:
- Anthem (Community Care Health Plan of Nevada)
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN)
- SilverSummit Health Plan (Ambetter)
Qualified Dental Plans will be offered through:
- Alpha Dental
- Best Life
- Delta Dental
- Rocky Mountain (Anthem)
Nevada insurance exchange providers by county
Some insurance providers will only be available in certain counties.
Here is the list of insurance carriers by county or service area:
Service Area 1, Clark County
- Anthem
- Community Care Health Plan of Nevada (Anthem BBSP)
- CareSource
- Kaiser Permanente
- Imperial Health Plan
- Molina Healthcare
- Select Health
- SilverSummit Healthplan (Ambetter)
Service Area 2, Washoe County
- Anthem
- Community Care Health Plan of Nevada (Anthem BBSP)
- CareSource
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN)
- Kaiser Permanente
- Imperial Health Plan
- Molina Healthcare
- SilverSummit Healthplan (Ambetter)
Service Area 3, Carson City, Douglas County, Lyon County and Storey County
- Anthem
- Community Care Health Plan of Nevada (Anthem BBSP)
- CareSource
- Kaiser Permanente
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN)
- SilverSummit Healthplan (Ambetter)
Service Area 4, Churchill, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Mineral, Pershing and White Pine County
- Anthem
- Community Care Health Plan of Nevada (Anthem BBSP)
- CareSource
- Health Plan of Nevada (HPN)
- SilverSummit Healthplan (Ambetter)
For more details about the upcoming plan year and open enrollment, call the Nevada Health Link customer support line at 1-800-547-2927 or visit NevadaHealthLink.com.
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
